Johannesburg - ANC Gauteng MPL and former #FeesMustFall activist Fasiha Hassan on Thursday told the provincial legislature that the death of 35-year-old Mthokozisi Ntumba should not have happened.
Ntumba was shot and killed allegedly by police as he was leaving a medical centre in Braamfontein on Wednesday.
Police had been firing rubber bullets to disperse protesting Wits students who are unhappy with historical debt and the institution’s inability to register indebted students before the academic year commences.
Efforts to resuscitate Ntumba failed and he died at the scene.
The father-of three worked for the Department of Human Settlements and had recently completed a Master’s degree.
Delivering her member statement at the legislature during the province’s finance MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko’s budget speech, Hassan said five years ago she had joined the fight for free, quality, decolonised education at Wits University.
”Yesterday, again I stood at Wits for the same fight, except this time it was our worst nightmare. An innocent human being was killed by police. He was shot and bled out in the streets of Braamfontein as students watched on helplessly,” she said.
Hassan continued: “We are outraged and heartbroken and I would like to extend our condolences to the family of the deceased and to a family that has unnecessarily lost their husband, father and a breadwinner.“
She said police brutality in South Africa continued unabated.
”Too many have died at the hands of the police force and we cannot pretend that it is okay and we cannot pretend that it is business as usual,” said Hassan.
She said the students and young people who elected her and fundamentally contributed in putting her in her seat were languishing.
”Students are being brutalised in broad daylight on their knees and with their hands up. I cannot and will not be silent in the face of such injustices. We will continue to fight until there is fundamental change and we realise free, quality and decolonised education. #FeesMustFall,” Hassan said.